'Parasite' Firm Sells Indonesian Zombie Flick

The highly successful Indonesian zombie series 'Zona Merah' is expanding to the big screen with its feature film adaptation, 'Zona Merah: Dead City.' The film will be introduced to the international market at the Cannes Film Market, with Barunson E&A, the Seoul-based company acclaimed for its involvement with the Oscar-winning film 'Parasite,' managing international sales.

The original series, aired as a Vidio original, achieved remarkable popularity in Indonesia, a territory where the zombie genre had previously struggled to gain traction. The series amassed over 34 million views, contributing to a significant rise in Vidio's subscriber base.

'Zona Merah: Dead City' plunges into a more intense narrative, depicting the crisis spreading to a second city and introducing new quarantine measures. Protagonist Maya intensifies her search for her younger brother, Adi. Sidharta Tata and Fajar Martha Santosa, the co-directors of the series, are reprising their roles for the film, with Tata penning the script and Santosa overseeing story continuity. Many cast members from the series are returning, joined by new faces.

Filming commenced on April 7 and is scheduled to conclude in May. Screenplay Films, the production company, views this feature expansion as a natural commercial and creative progression, building upon the series' established success. Barunson E&A's CEO, Choi Yoonhee, notes that Indonesia's genre filmmaking landscape is evolving, with 'Zona Merah: Dead City' poised to further resonate globally.